Beyond Just Support, 'C-level' Involvement Can Accelerate Your Continuous Improvement Journey

April 24, 2012

Operating 47 plants in 25 countries, General Cable has grown significantly over the past decade. One thing that has remained consistent is the steadfast devotion to continuous improvement. Embracing lean and Six Sigma toolsets and fostering a culture of associate involvement has allowed General Cable to differentiate in an otherwise mostly commoditized market. Within plants are mini-factories or cells run by armies of change-agents whose natural instinct is to think about and then act on hundreds of ideas that improve General Cable every day. But armies need leaders, and CEO Greg Kenny brings a unique perspective -- leading change with support, commitment and engagement from the boardroom to the shop floor.

In his keynote speech, Kenny shares his practical experience and pragmatic approaches to leading change and addresses the following themes:

Tools deployment gets you started, but culture change is paramount to sustain momentum and achieve longevity of continuous improvement
Not every step is forward -- some notable wins, setbacks and lessons learned from General Cable's journey
An overview of the results and why they are meaningful to customers, shareholders and associates beyond just the bottom line
How executives can lead change -- setting expectations, participating from Day 1, promoting and recognition -- my duties as chief "flag-bearer"
Leveraging global learning through benchmarking councils to accelerate idea sharing across borders and within cultures

About the Speaker

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Gregory B. Kenny, President & Chief Executive Officer, General Cable Corporation Gregory B. Kenny has been president and chief executive officer of General Cable since August 2001. General Cable (NYSE: BGC), headquartered in Highland Heights, Kentucky, is a leader in the development, design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of copper, aluminum and fiber optic wire and cable products for the energy infrastructure, construction, retail, telecommunications and OEM markets. With annual revenues of $4.9 billion, General Cable is one of the world's most geographically diverse manufacturing companies. It operates 47 manufacturing facilities in 25 countries and employs more than 11,000 associates.

Kenny has a diverse career in government and industry. In 1975, through competitive exam, Kenny entered the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. His diplomatic career focused on international economics and trade and included tours in Washington, D.C. and South America. In 1982, Kenny moved to the private sector joining the Penn Central Corporation, then a $3.0 billion revenue, multi-industry conglomerate.

Kenny holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Georgetown University, a masters of business administration from The George Washington University and a masters of public administration from Harvard University.

Kenny is a member of the board of directors of Cardinal Health (CAH), a NYSE health care services and products company, as well as Corn Products International (CPO), a global agricultural products processing company, also listed on the NYSE. He is a member of the board of governors for NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) as well as The International Cablemakers Federation. Public service activities include serving on the board of directors of United Way of Cincinnati and as an Emeritus Trustee for the Cincinnati Museum Center.